In many embedded processor applications, energy consumption is a primary concern. For example, in some battery powered applications, the working life of a device is tied to the life of a primary cell powering the device. Energy consumption of an embedded processor can be a major factor in the life of the primary cell and in turn, in the life of the device. Processor energy consumption may depend, to a large extent, on the frequency at which the processor operates and the number of instructions that must be executed.